Bill also spent much time at his mountain home in Laurel Bloomery, TN, where he enjoyed exploring the many nature trails on ATVs while his beloved wife Nina Beth rode nearby on horseback.
He was raised on a farm near Humboldt, TN, the son of Elbert E. and Esther Stinson Steele. Bill was the youngest of a loving family of eight siblings, Harry, Katherine, Vernon, Paul, Martha, Ed and Anita. He grew up loving tractors, cars and all things mechanical and could fix anything that was broken. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with an electrical engineering degree in June 1968 and went on to a life-long career with IBM. He was leader of the team that developed the revolutionary supermarket and retail laser barcode scanner technology and was approached to join Microsoft as a partner when they were a startup of thirteen people. After an early retirement, he traveled the world with his wife Nina Beth to destinations like China, Africa, South America, Antarctica, Europe and all over the US and Canada. He is survived by his wife Nina Beth, son Robert and partner Debbie, daughter Ann Marie, grandson Sean, step-son Bill and wife Marie and step-daughter Beth.
Services will be held in Nashville on Sunday January 13 at one o’clock, Woodlawn’s Dignity Hall with a graveside service immediately following.
Gathering of family and friends will be held from eleven o’clock until the service at one o’clock.
In lieu of flowers send donations to The American Lung Association (www.lung.org).
Visit the online obituary: www.woodlawn-roesch-pattonfh.com
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